Show I iilftftrclfa anwinimrituroiil ffim Date rape a national campus epidemic You are walking home it is late and the lighting is poor Suddenly man a appears brandishing a knife and clad in a ski mask He forces you into the bushes and has his way with you You ait the victim of a by Sam Pittman Eagle editor women Along with this certain attitudes about women are present in the character manifest Ask yourself if your date demonstrates a hostility towards women How does he treat you? Like property? Is he bossy or act rape like you are his property? Perhaps he thinks of women as sex objects Most people envision rape as a violent stranger in a darkened or has an unrealistic view putting women on a pedestal All of these place Certainly Hollywood contributes to this notion but the fact is over half of all rapes in the nation are committed by an acquaintance of attitudes may be warning signs which may help you to prevent an unfortunate encounter the victim The law defines rape as forced sexual intercourse Physical force Although only rapist can put an end to rape there are certain threats and fear are used to steps you can take to protect yourself Make it very clear what t control the victim While some your limitations are Knowing your limits in advance may victims are held at knife point prevent an uncompromising situation Alcohol is one of the biggest contributors to rape For others may be drugged or to women they may become incapable of expressing their wishes drunk to ward off the advances of the rapist clearly putting out mixed signals without being aware of it Because inhibitions are greatly reduced or eliminated by the The law recognizes no effects of alcohol or drugs a woman may participate in a difference in rape and situation she ordinarily would not "acquaintance rape" Alcohol also makes it very difficult for men to properly those involved if threats or interperet the signals being sent by the female A man may be more likely to force his will if he is inebriated violence are used to force Avoid going to secluded places with a man you have just participation in sexual met Suggest meeting places that are public such as a theatre intercourse the act is defined or restaurant Bringing your own transportation to a meeting as rape and is subject to the wiU free you from being dependant on a ride This eliminates same laws or penalties a "put out or get out” situation The laws governing rape If a situation should arise where you are in danger or feel arc not confined lo or strictly to vaginal uneasy act immediately If you feel uneasy with the man get intercourse Sodomy oral away Trust your intuition Do not give in to his demands to appease him Confront him teU him not to touch you copulation use of a foreign If you are attacked be realistic about your chances to object and the unwanted resist Yelling hitting or biting may afford a chance to escape but it touching of genitals for the purpose of sexual arousal are all loosely may also expose you to greater harm grouped under the term sexual assault Although the penalties may If your life is in danger passive resistance may be your best the values of society all vary according to the severity of the crime and defense Vomiting or urinating may be the best defense Telling the of these acts considered sexual assault attacker your diseased or in your menstrual cycle may also be It may be that the stereotypical college environment supports a effective Every situation is different so only you can decide which certain amount of implied sexual liberality Movies such as National course of action is best Lampoon's "Animal House" and "Revenge of the Nerds” provide a What to do if you are raped humorous image of the promiscuity that occurs on college campuses If you are raped go immediately to a safe place and call the A 1990 report published by Mvybeth Roden of the Santa Monica Hospital Medical Center in Santa Monica Calif sites a study conducted on California campuses showing that women and men who power and control by enabling you to do something about the violent attend college are especially at risk to become victims of acquaintance crime that was committed against you The police will assist in getting you medical attention gathering and preserving evidence and rape Rape has reached an epidemic proportion on our campuses concerns about Statistics showed that in 1990 one in six women were victims or near 80-90 victims of a rape Of this number an astronomical proportion your personal After assaulted safety by acquaintances percent were call ingthe police As a student there are several steps you can take to make yourself call a family less vulnerable to rape Of primary importance is open honest direct member or communication of exactly what you want or do not want out of a male-fema- le resolving relationship Men and women are socialized differently Many men are led to believe that although a woman says no she means yes only saying no to avoid appearing "loose" or "easy" Women who dress provocative or are flirtatious are "coming on” The fact is guys she can kiss you fondle you and then say no and if you force the issue the law wiU still regard the act as rape In other words there is no excuse for physical force The guy you are with may seem polite and charming but being aware of certain altitudes can reduce the risk of rape Understand that rape is not about lust date rape is about the physical subjugation of someone to be with you while you wait for the police to arrive Do not bathe or change clothes there may be evidence on you or your clothes Several organizations on campus are ready and willing to help in the event that you are raped including the counseling center campus security and the Turning Point Center According to Sherril Burge director of the Turning Point Center victims have several places lo turn "If it happens on campus you should notify security immediately or we will help you notify security” The Turning Point center is located on the ground floor of the Computer Business Building Tuning Point provides counseling and support for men and women on campus "There are no issues we feel students cannot come to us about” Burge said It is imperative that you receive prompt and comprehensive medical assistance Medical attention is critical not only to insure your personal health and well being bin to the collection of evidence against your assailant Most rapirts are repeat offenders If you foil to report a rape the assailant cannot be apprehended The risks to others is thereby increased by your failure to report the crime You may have concerns about the repercussions of reporting such a crime There may be a reluctance to become involved in a court trial fearing bad treatment from police and legal counselors Victims often express a fear of retaliation Rapists sometimes threaten to retaliate against victims who report the crime retaliation rarely occurs The Rape Treatment Center has never had a reported retaliation against a victim in over 12J000 reported rapes Most states have enacted laws that protect victims from answering questions in court about past sexuiri history Victims are also protected from revealing home addresses and telephone numbers during their testimony A victim is entitled to have two persons of their choice accompany them to the preliminary hearing and trial to provide personal support The importance of medical care can hanlly be overstated Sexual assault is a very traumatic experience and you may be in shock or internal injuries you are unaware of You also need to be aware of the risk of sexually ittm 'VVV WV'V V ppgf IWVV''AVVV |